Car truck



June 27,. 1944- T. v. BUCKWALTER CAR TRUCK Filed Deo. 29, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 27, 1944. IT, v BUC'KWALTER 2,352,163 A GAR TRUCK Filed Dec. 29, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 27, 1944.

"r. v. BUCKWALTER 2,352,163 GARHTRUCK Filed Deo. 29, 1941 s sheets-sheet s 'T U. @mw-1m,

Patented June 27, 1944 can 'rnucx Tracy V. Buckwalter, Canton, Ohio, assigner to The Tlmken Roller Bearing Company, Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 29, 1941, Serial No. 424,693 7 Claims. (Cl. 10S-197.2)

This invention relates to railway car trucks, particularly spring-plankless inboard car trucks of the type shown in my Patent No. 1,640,180, dated August 23, 1927, wherein the side frames and axle housings are rigidly connected at two diagonally opposite corners of the truck and are loosely connectedfor relative vertical movement at the other diagonally opposite corners of said tion in the truck and return` the parts to normal position; that will equalize the load on the bolster springs and prevent excessive rocking of the car body; that will' provide for supporting the brake beam from theaxle housing; and that will provide for mounting the fixed or dead brake lever guide or stop on the axle housing.

'I'he invention consists in the improved rail-way car truck and in the construction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and'elaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. l is a part top plan and part horizontal sectional view of a railway car truck embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of said truck,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical crosssectional view on the line 4 4 in Fig. l,

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 5-5 i Fig. l,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 6--6 in Fig. l',

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view on the line 1-1 in ig. l,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 8 8 in Fig. 6,

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary' vertical section on the me 9-9 in Fig. 5,

Fig. 10 is part plan and part horizontal sectional view of one of the supporting brackets for the lateral motion resisting devices; and

Fig. 1l is a perspective view of the ller plate used with said supporting bracket.

In the accompanying drawings, my invention is shown embodied in a spring-plankle'ss inboard'- railway car truck of the type shown in my Patent No. 1,640,180, datedv August 23, 1927, wherein a pair of axles A have wheels B fixed to the ends thereof, tubular axle housings C enclose said axles between the wheels thereon, side frames D connect said axle housings. and a cross beam or truck bolster Eextends from side frame to side frame midway of the ends of said truck.

One end ofeach truck side frame D has a tubular portion l integral therewith that extends transversely thereof and has its inner end portion sleeved on'and welded or otherwise rigidly secured tothe adjacent end of an axle housing C and constitutes an end section or extension therefor. The other end of said truck side frame is formed -with a pedestal 2 that ts ovef'tubular member 3 that is welded or otherwise rigidly secm'ed to the adjacent end portion of the other axle housing and constitutes an end section or extension therefor. The tubular extensions or end sections l and 3 of each axle housing C constitute housings for conical roller bearings 4 that are interposed between said end sections and the axle A in said housing. l

The pedestal end of each side frame D is supported on the axle housing extension 3 straddled thereby by means of a two unit group of coil compression springs 5, which rest upon a ilat seat provided therefor on the top of said housing extension and seat in a downwardly opening pocket or recess B provided therefor in said side frame above the pedestal 2. As shown inthe drawings, one of the legs of the pedestal 2 of each side frame D has a vertical slldeway l therein for a vertical rib 8 on the opposing side of an adjacent housing section 3, While the opposite side of said section has 'a vertical slideway 9 therein for the other pedestal leg, thereby permitting relative vertical movement of said pedestal and housing section While preventing relative horizontal movement thereof. The pedestal 2 and housing extension 3 are held against an accidental vertical separation preferably by means of a bolt l0 that extends horizontally through registering openings provided therefor in said end section 3 and the endmost pedestal leg, the bolt opening in said pedestal les` being in the form of a vertiu cally elongated sist i l to permit the desired relative vertical movement of said pedestal and housing section. The axle licusir:r section 3 has outstanding stop lugs i3 on opposite sides thereof that are located directly senaat-h the lower ^t the legs of the pes l 2 ss as to limit downward movement of said pedestal relative to said housing section.

The rigid connections between the truck side frames D and the axle housings C are located at two diagonally opposite corners of the truck, and the spring supported pedestal connections between said side frames and axle housings are located at the other diagonal corners of said truck. Thus, the rigid connections between the side frames D and axle housings C at two diagonally opposite corners of the truck serve to prevent the truck from going out of square, while the loose spring supported pedestal connections between said side frames and housings hold the axles horizontally but permit limited relative vertical movement. of said side frames and axles at the other diagonal corners of said truck.

Each side frame D comprises a truss structure including a compression member I3 and a tension member I4 that converge toward the ends of said side frame and are connected midway of said ends by a pair of spaced upright bolster or column guides I5 that form a double strut between said compressionA and tension members and cooperate therewith to form an opening adapted to receive the adjacent endy of the truck bolster. The truck bolster has a center plate ring I6 formed integral therewith midway of the ends thereof adapted to rotatably receive a center plate I1 fixed to the underside of the body bolster F. At each end of the truck bolster E an inverted channel-shaped side bearing plate I8 is riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the top thereof. This side bearing member is mounted on the bolster with its downwardly opening channel disposed crosswise thereof and straddling the middle, bolster opening forming portion of the upper orrcompression member I3 of the truck side frame. Ihis inverted channel-shaped side bearing 4has a fiat bearing surface at the top thereof adapted to cooperate with the flat bottom surface of a side bearing member I9 fixed to the under surface of the bodyv bolster F.

The truck bolster E has each end thereof yieldably supported in the bolsteropening of an adjacent side frame D for vertical'movement relative thereto preferably by means of an upper, four unit nest or group of double coil springs -20 and a single lower double coil spring 2i. The lower spring is a relatively soft spring of relatively large diameter that seats in a circular pocket or well 22 provided therefor inthe portion of the side frame tension member I4 that forms the bottom of the bolster opening; and the upper group or nest of springs 2l) comprises four smaller springs that seat in a pocket 23 provided therefor on the underside of the truck bolster end and are supported on a heavy, rigid essaies wise of said side frame. The spring receiving opening or pocket 23 in the underside of the truck bolster E at each end thereof .also opens outwardly through said end and has its inner end portion shaped to conform substantially to the outline of the rear portion of the upper spring group located in said pocket; and the spring plate or follower 24, which supports said upper spring group, has an upstanding edge ange 25 having a lengthwise curvature corresponding substantially to the outline of said spring group.

The truck is provided on opposite sides of the bolster with lateral motion resisting devices. Each of these devices comprises two spaced axially alined horizontal bars or rods 2l that are mounted on the truck bolster E for independent sliding axial movement crosswise of the truck. Each of these rods is slidably supported intermediate between its ends in a suitable supporting bracket 2l having an upstanding flange 21a that fits in a vertical groove 2'Ib provided therefor in the adjacent side face of the truck bolster, is rigidly secured in said groove preferably by means of a horizontal bolt 2B. and has a pair of spaced outstanding lugs 21e with. alined openings therethrough through which said rod extends. 'Ihe bracket 21 also has a horizontal bottom flange 21d that extends beneath the truck bolster and is secured to the underside thereof by a vertical bolt 29, a filler plate 28a being interposed between said flange and bolster to compensate for variations in thel vertical dimensions of said bracket or bolster. Interposed between the spaced adjacent ends of the two relatively movable axially alined rods 26 of each lateral motion device is a heavy, preloaded coil compression spring 3l which seats against collars 3| provided therefor on the opposing ends of said rod. 'I'he rods 2B are provided between their opposing ends and their supf porting brackets 21 with rigid abutment collars 32 that are normally held by means of the coll spring in abutting relation tothe opposing or inner ends of said brackets; and the remote ends of said rod are provided beyond their supporting brackets with shoes 33 adapted upon relative lateral motion of the truck bolster and `sidi! frames to abut against wear plates 34- welded or otherwise secured to the inner faces of the bolster guides or columns I! of the respective truck side frames. As shown in the drawings, the upstanding flange 21a of the angle bracket-21 has lugs 21e at the upperv corners thereof that seat on the Atruck bolster-at the upper end of the verticalgroove 2lb therein; and said lugs. together with the bottom ange 21d of said bracket. prevent vertical movement of said bracket relative to said bolster due to the frictional resistance between the shoes 33 of the rods 2l and the we'ar plates spring plate or follower 24 which, in turn, is supf ported on the upper'end of the larger single coil spring 2|. This spring follower or bumper plate 24 is disposed in the bolster opening of the side frame and overlaps the tension member I4 thereof on opposite sides of the: spring supporting pocket 22 in position to seat on said memberwhen the single lower bolster spring 2I in said pocket is compressed a predetermined amount and thus prevent further compression of said spring.

' The four springs 20 of the upper spring group are arranged diamond fashion; that is, two of said springs are set close together longitudinally of the side frame and the other two springs are placed one on each side of the two first mentioned springs and are thus spaced apart thereby cross- 34 during relative vertical movement of said side plates and bolster.

The truck is provided with a device for equalizing the load on 'the bolster springs and for preventing excessive rocking of the car body. This .'equalizing device comprises a rod or rock shaft 35 that extends crosswise of the truck alongside of thev truck bolster and journaled i`n suitable transverse openings or bearings provided therefor in the respective `sid`e frames. This rod or shaft 35 extends `outwardly beyond the .side frames where. it is providedrwith rigid arms 36 that terminate` in convexly curved or cam-shaped free end portions l1 that are rockably and slidably supported in horizontal guide or slideways Il provided in the outer walls of the inverted vertical shaped side bearing members Il xed to the ends of the truck bolster. These slideways are preferably provided with spring steel wear plates 39.

Asshown in the drawings, the truck is provided With a brake gear comprising brake beams G that extend crosswise of the truck one on each side of the truck bolster E. Each of these brake beams comprises a channel-shaped compression member 40, a tension rod 4| and a strut-member 4 2 interposed between said compression and ten' sion members midway of the ends of the brake beam. Each brake beam G has a brake head or block 43 fixed to each end thereof, which block has a brake shoe 43a fixed thereto for cooperation with an adjacent car wheel and is suspended from an adjacent side frame by means of a brake hanger 44 that is supported at its upper end in a suitable brake hanger bracket 44a formed integral with said side frames. The strut member 42 of one of the brake beams has a live brake lever 45 fulcrumed thereon; and the strut member of the other brake beam has a dead Each brake beam G is provided with an auxillary support comprising a spring bracket 43 that is clipped and welded, as at 49, to the axle housing crosswise thereof. The free end of this spring bracket 45 extends beneath the'tension rod receiving end of the strut 42 of the brake beam and thus serves to yieldably support the same.-

The brake gear also includes a dead lever stop or guide comprising a longitudinally curved arm 50 that is pivotally supported at one end on an upstanding bracket I fixed to thetop of an adjacent axle housing. This guide has a longitudinal slot 52 therein for the upper end of the dead brake lever 46, a series of longitudinally spaced transverse holes 53, and a suitable locking pin 54 that is inserted through said hole and a registering hole in said brake lever.

By the arrangement described, the truck is at al1 times prevented from going out of squareby the rigid connections between the side frames travel and capacity and have individual oscillation characteristics. With the spring arrangement shown, dierent degrees of spring capacity may be obtained for different loads. AThe springs 5, 2B and 2i are all operative over a loading range from nd load to one-half the rated car load and thus provideeasy riding qualities at high speeds under such conditions of loading. 'At one-half load, the relatively soft, large diameter springs 2l are depressed far enough to cause the spring follower plates 24 supported thereby to seat on the tension members i4 of the s ide frames D. thus rendering said springs inoperative and transferring such load to the spring sets 5 and 20, thereby diminishing harmonic spring oscillations or vibrations and body roll at high speeds. At full load, the truck pedestals 2 seat on the stop lugs l2 provided therefor on the portions of unit groups of main bolster supporting springs 20. Thus, the four-unit groups of springs are 3 the axle housings straddled thereby, thus rendering the pedestal springs 5 inoperative and thereby transferring the entire full load to the fouroperative under all conditions of loading to prevent heavy shocks from being transmitted -between the truck and car body, while the harmonic oscillations of such springs will be interrupted or dampened by rendering the springs 2l inoperative at one-half load and the springs 5 inoperative at full load. Obviously, the capacity of the dierent spring sets may be varied and the follower plate 24 maybe changed to seat on the side frame at different percentages of full load above or below half load.

The four-unit coil springs 20 are arranged diamond fashion, instead of the conventional square fashion. and 'two springs ofeach spring unit are in line with and within the protection of the column guides i 5 of the side frame. The vertical inner walls of the spring receiving pockets 23 in the underside of the truck bolster E serve tc stiffen and strengthen the bolster crosswise in the region of the bolster guides l5 against shocks when the brakes are applied and when the car is accelerated, and the shape of said pockets and the pockets 22 makes certain the assembly of springs in the proper pocket. l v

The lateral control devices are of simple and economical construction and effectively cushion transverse shocks between the bolster and side frames and thus enable the truck to follow track irregularities without transmitting the heavy thrust loads to the truck parts, roller bearings and wheel flanges. The supporting brackets 2 for the rods 26 of the lateral motion devices are securely bolted to the sides and bottom of the truck bolster and also engage said bolsr in a manner that prevents relative movement of said brackets and bolster, thereby relieving said bolts of shearing strains caused by the heavy lateral thrusts and the frictional resistancebetween the outer ends of said rods and the side frames during relative vertical movement of said bolster and side frames.

The arms v36 secured to the rod 35 that extends crosswise-of the truck alongside of the bolster work in the slideways 38 in the ends of the bolster and are thus jointly movable in response to an increased load on either of the side frames, thereby nqualizing the load on the bolster springs on opposite sides of the truck. This torsional device also serves to equalize the rocking loads on the bolster springs and thus reduces the tendency for the car body to rock. l

The inverted channel-shaped sidel bearing -members I8 straddle the top chord or compression members I3 of the side frames and areV The brake beam supporting brackets 48 yieldably support the tension members of the brake beams in the region of the struts and thus prevent the toes of the brake shoes from riding or dragging'on the wheels and thus prolong the life of the brake shoes. These spring brackets are fixed to the axle housings, which are subjectV to very little vertical movement relative to the brake beam. Thus, said brackets are relieved o! stresses that would tend to cause them to break in service. Y 'I'he brake lever bar stop or guide bar 5h is 'pivotally supported on the axle housing, which' 1. A spring-planiciess inboard car truck comi 'prising wheeled axles, housings enclosing said axles between the wheels thereon, side framesA connecting corresponding ends of said housings and having bolster openings therein, Asaid side frames being rigidly secured to said housings at two diagonally opposite corners of said truck, springs supporting said side frames on said housings at the other diagonally opposite corners of said truckra plurality of springs mounted in the vbolster opening of each side frame, a bolster having its ends disposedin said bolster openings and supported on the springs therein, and means for rendering inoperative some of the bolster supporting springs and all of the side frame supporting springs at diierent predetermined loads on said bolster.

2. A spring-.plankless inboard car truck comprising wheeled axles, housings enclosing said axles between the wheels thereon, side frames connecting corresponding ends of said housings and having bolster openings therein, said side framesv being rigidly secured to said housings at two diagonally opposite comers of said truclr and having pedestals straddling said housings at the other diagonally Opposite corners of said truck. springs supporting said pedestals on said housings, superimposed springs supported in said bolster openlngs, a bolster having its ends disposed in said bolster openings and supported on the uppermost springs therein, means operative upon a predetermined load on said bolster for rendering the lowermost bolster supporting springs inoperative, and means operative upon an increased 4. A spring-plankless inboard car truck comprising wheeled axles, housings enclosing said axles between the wheels thereon, side frames connecting corresponding ends of said housings and having bolster openings therein, said side frames being rigidly secured to said housings at two diagonally opposite corners of said truck and having pedestals straddling said housings at the other diagonally opposite corners of said truck, multi-unit groups of coil springs supporting said pedestals on said housings, single lower coil springs seated in the bottoms of the respective bolster openings, multi-unit coil springs located in the-respective bolster openings and supported on the single coil springs therein, a bolster having its endsdisposed in said bolster openings and supported on the upper spring groups therein, plates interposed between the upper and lower springs in the respective bolster openings and adapted upon a predetermined load on said bolster to seat on said side frames and render said lower springs inoperative to support said bolster. said pedestals being adapted upon a predetermined further increased load to seat on said housings and render the pedestal supporting springs inoperative to support said side frames.

5. A car truck comprising wheeled axles, side frames connecting said axles and having bolster' openings therein, springs in said bolster openings, a bolster having its ends disposed in said bolster openings and supported on the springs therein, said side frames including compression members deiining the upper edges of said bolster openings, inverted channel-shaped side bearing members secured to the top oi.' said bolster and straddling the compression members of the re.- spective side frames, each of said side bearing members having a' horizontal slideway therein disposed crosswise of said bolster, and a rock shaft extending crosswlse of said truck alongside of said bolster from side frame to side frame and rotatably supported therein, said rock shaft hav ing arms rigid therewith, each supported at its free end in the horizontal slideway of one of said side bearing members.

6. A car truck comprising wheeled axles, side frames connecting said axles and having bolster openings therein, springs supporting said side predetermined load on said bolster for rendering the pedestal supporting springs; inoperative.

3. A spring-plankless inboard car truck comy prising wheeled axles, housings enclosing said frames on said axles, springs mounted in said bolster openings, a bolster supported on the springs in said bolster openings, and means operative upon a predetermined load, on said bolster for rendering some of said bolster supporting springs inoperative to transmit load from said bolster to said side frame, and means operative upon an increased predetermined load on-said\ bolster for rendering the side frame supporting springs inoperative to transmit the load from said side frames to said axles.

7. A car truck comprising wheeled axles, side frames connecting said axles and having bolster openings therein, springs supporting said side Y frames onsaid axles, superimposed springs supsprings seated in the respective bolster openings.

multi-unit groups of upper. coilosprlngs located in'the respective bolster openings and supported on thesingle coil springs therein, a bolster having its ends disposed-in said bolster openings and supported onthe upper spring groups therein and means for rendering said single lower springs and said pedestal supporting springs inoperative under diii'erent loads on said bolster.

ported in the bolster openings ot the respective side trames, a-bolster supported on thev uppermostspringsin saidbolsteropenmg' s, means operative upon a predetermined load on said bolster for Rvrendering the lowermost bolster supporting springs inoperative to transmit the load from said bolster to said side frames, and means operative upon an increased predetermined load on said bolster for rendering the side frame supporting springs inoperative to transmit the load from said side frames to said axles.

. l TRACY V. BUCKWALTER. 

